Coffee is Equated With Romance
by Fire The Canon
Summary: On a cold, winter's day when a blizzard is expected, Padma runs into an old love interest; that love interest, however, is not that old. In fact, it feels very, very new.


_**Written for the lovely Amber (Cheeky Slytherin Lass) for winning a competition of mine**_

_**Written for the Journey Through Hogwarts Challenge (Platform 9 3/4 - write with the genre angst)**_

_**Written for the Multi Ship Challenge (PadmaAnthony, snow)**_

* * *

**Coffee is Equated With Romance**

Fifteen minutes later and she was still waiting.

She sighed as a couple hurried past to avoid the predicted blizzard due anytime soon.

She sighed again when even an old man with a walking stick was moving faster than her. Her toes felt like they were about to drop off and her nose was a bright red from the bitter chill that was encompassing her whole body.

"Come _on, _Parvati!" the young woman standing out the front of a shopping mall complained. "It can't take that long."

A little girl, being pulled by her mother looked at her oddly, for she was all but talking to herself.

Another five minutes and Padma Patil was giving up. Her sister could make her own way home. She was done.

Throwing her handbag further over her shoulder she huffed, before making her way down the Muggle street, into a small coffee shop in the corner. There were plenty of people in there, appearing cosy and warm, and pleased to be out of the cold. She pushed it open.

"Oh, hey, Padma. Fancy seeing you here, huh?"

She barely had time to get through the door before a very familiar voice was in her ear.

_No, _she thought. Of all the people….

"Hi, Anthony." She put on her best smile and turned to face a handsome young man standing in front of her.

He beamed. "Of all the places in Muggle London we both could have been, and we both chose here," he said brightly. "What a coincidence."

"How unlikely." Padma fought to hold her bitterness, failing as a pretty brunette came to join Anthony with two takeaway coffees in hand.

"Hi, Padma," the girl said, passing one of the coffees to Anthony.

"Oh, hi, Morag." She spoke bluntly, emotionless.

Anthony's smile widened as he placed an arm around his fiancé and drew her close. "How nice it is for all of us to be reacquainted like this. Not exactly the best weather, is it?" He indicated the window where snow had just begun to fall, oblivious to the women's discomfort.

Padma and Morag had once been good friends. At Hogwarts, the girls had been inseparable, apart from those times they needed to sleep. As the years went by, they had lost contact; something Anthony seemed unaware of.

"It's a shame we haven't seen each other for so long."

Padma faked another smile. "A shame, indeed," she said non-committedly. "Anyway, I must be off. My sister will be waiting for me. I just came in here to keep out of the cold." She studied the two people before her for a moment, and then turned to leave.

She wasn't sure why it was still so painful to see him after so long. She had still been at school when Anthony and Morag had begun dating. She had been put through plenty of promises, too. Once, Anthony had even confessed to loving her more than Morag.

Then he had proposed.

Her sister told her she needed to get over it, and when he wasn't around, she was. But seeing him there like that, happy with her ex best friend, it hurt.

She hurried from the coffee shop and ran into Parvati with tears in her eyes.

"Padma?" she questioned.

"Let's just go," Padma urged, grabbing her sister's hand. "Let's just go."

Parvati obviously wanted answers, but when she saw two faces she recognised leave a coffee shop from where her sister had come, that was enough. She nodded. "Let's go," she agreed.

…

The moment Padma had left the coffee shop Morag noticed the change in Anthony's mood. He had seemed bright and cheerful whilst speaking to her, but as soon as they had returned home he had become solemn and withdrawn.

Morag sighed. "Was that hard?" she questioned, setting the now cold coffees down on a bench.

"Huh?" Anthony looked up at her with vacant eyes.

"Seeing her again," Morag said. "Was it hard?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Anthony walked away.

"You had feelings for her once, Anthony. I get it, okay. Especially as she can't move on."

Anthony stopped mid-step, whirling around to face her. "What do you mean?" He all but grabbed her shoulders, demanding her to answer.

Morag's heart sank at her wide-eyed fiancé. She swallowed, starting slowly. "I mean, she still has feelings for you, Anthony." She could almost hear his heart pounding against his chest as she said the words. A tear fought to break free as she continued. "What does that mean to you?" Her voice was weak.

Anthony seemed to hear her tone, for he stepped back and shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "I was just surprised, that's all." He kissed her, his smile returning to his face. "It's kind of sad, really. That she can't move on."

Morag nodded, forcing a smile. "I guess," she said. She returned his kiss, not really feeling it. What a day this had turned out to be. Was it really a coincidence that Padma had found herself in the same coffee shop as they had?

…

A letter arrived by owl the next day. It was an owl Padma didn't recognise, but it pecked at her hand until she took it.

"Er, thanks," she said when the owl refused to leave. She tossed it a treat, yet it still remained.

Padma sighed, unfolding the letter.

It was from Anthony.

_Padma,_

_It was good seeing you again today. I've often hoped we'd meet up at some point again. Such a shame we lost contact._

_I am writing this to inform you, however, that that meeting needs to be our last. I love Morag. I don't love you. You need to move on. _

_I hope this doesn't hurt you too much, and I am sorry we can no longer even be friends. You were a good friend to me, and you probably still are. _

_All the best,_

_Anthony_

It was like a flood that poured from Padma's eyes, wetting the parchment. Anthony's owl hooted with irritation, but she ignored it.

Parvati came in. "Padma?"

"Go away!"

As she always had, Parvati ignored her sister. She sat down beside the crying woman and wrapped comforting arms around her. "It's okay," she tried to soothe.

Padma only cried harder, the letter crumbling in her hands.

"You never needed him," Parvati continued, trying her best.

She failed.

"Oh, I wish we'd never gone to London yesterday."

Padma's body shook as she sobbed into her sister, her tears never abating. Why did he have to do this? Could he not have left her alone, let her go on believing there was hope? It hurt so much less than this.

Parvati seemed to read her mind. "It may hurt now," she said calmly, "but you'll feel so much better in the long run." She kissed Padma's temple, drawing her even closer. "I'm always here for you."

Padma welcomed the comfort. "I know," she whispered.

She then broke down again, tossing the letter away. One day she would learn not to love him, but today wasn't that day.

Maybe it wouldn't even be this year.

* * *

_**The title of this fic comes from part of a quote from Andrea Lee. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this, and please don't forget to leave a review if you read it. Would be much appreciated! Thank you!  
**_


End file.
